At around 9 a.m., they arrived at a countryside resort and played until 10 p.m. Despite the long day, the group of young people remained full of energy.
Then, they decided to go to the hot springs together.
Ji Mianmian clung to Gu Jiu’s arm and said, “I want to soak in the hot spring with Sister Gu.” Her cheeks flushed red, a mix of shyness and excitement.
The other girls immediately swarmed over, taking the opportunity to hold onto Gu Jiu as well. They waved goodbye to the group of stinky boys and headed off with cheerful laughter to enjoy the hot springs.
One of the boys sighed enviously, “Being a girl is so nice.”
The others silently nodded in agreement. Indeed, being a girl meant they could soak in the hot springs with their goddess-like Sister Gu without any awkwardness.
Gu Mingli, ever the cold and ruthless one, commented, “If you’re that envious, you can go to Thailand and get a gender change. Then you’ll be beautiful girls too.”
The group was speechless.
“Would it kill you not to crush our dreams for once?”
Finally, someone couldn’t take it anymore and pounced on Gu Mingli, grabbing him by the neck. Seeing this, the rest of the boys joined in, shouting and laughing as they tackled him and dragged him to the hot springs, preparing to toss him in.
Gu Mingli thought he was about to be thoroughly soaked by these maniacs. However, when he fell into the water, something seemed to shield his nose and mouth, preventing the hot spring water from touching them. Before he could fully process the sensation, the boys pulled him back out.
It was all just playful teasing, and no one intended to take it too far. They immediately pulled him up after tossing him in.
Gu Mingli quickly let go of his earlier confusion and began enjoying the hot spring.
Outside the hot springs, a man in black casual wear stood near the entrance, glancing at the boys inside. He soon lost interest and shifted his gaze elsewhere.
He already knew which one was Gu Jiu’s younger brother. In places where Gu Jiu couldn’t see, he naturally had to offer some silent protection.
Next to the men’s hot spring was the women’s hot spring.
The man could feel Gu Jiu’s presence nearby. Imagining her soaking in the hot spring, an uncontrollable flush rose to his pale face, adding a touch of warmth to his complexion.
He didn’t dare get too close and felt slightly awkward, so he lingered around hesitantly.
Even after Gu Jiu and her group finished soaking in the hot spring, he was still dithering in the same spot.
The girls surrounded Gu Jiu, their voices soft and sweet. “Senior, we’re planning to play some games tonight. Will you join us?”
The boys emerging from the men’s hot spring perked up at the opportunity. Gaming together? What a perfect way to bond! If their senior didn’t know how to play, they could even teach her—what an ideal situation!
“Yes, Senior, let’s play together! Do you know how? If not, we can teach you!”
Gu Mingli let out a derisive laugh.
Teach his sister? They should worry about being utterly destroyed by her instead.
Gu Jiu declined with a smile. “You young people can play together. I won’t join in.”
“Senior, you’re young too!” the girls protested. “You’re only three years older than us!”
One of the boys quipped, “A woman three years older is like holding a golden brick!”
The girls glared at him fiercely. Anyone daring to have improper thoughts about their senior would be mercilessly dealt with!
The boy who had been fiercely glared at shrank his head in embarrassment. He hadn’t expected that in just one day, Gu Mingli’s sister not only won over the hearts of all the boys but also charmed all the girls. Some of the girls initially had intentions toward the boys present and hoped this countryside trip might spark something romantic. Little did they know, Gu Mingli’s sister was so captivating that both the boys and girls were utterly enchanted by her.
The man standing nearby also witnessed this scene, and his mood darkened.
He suddenly recalled what Gu Jiu had said about herself: in the real world, she was quite sought after, and if she wanted a boyfriend, all she had to do was crook her finger. Now, seeing this in person, he realized her words had been rather understated. Not only men, even women seemed ready to fall for her with just a gesture.
It wasn’t until Gu Jiu declined the group’s invitation and retired to her room that the man felt a little better.
Gu Jiu checked the time—it was already 11 p.m.
It was too late to enter the Boundless City now. Lu Ji was likely already resting, so she decided not to log in tonight.
She placed her glasses on the pillow beside her, within easy reach, and lay down.
Whether in the real world or the game world, Gu Jiu always slept well. Within ten minutes, her breathing had become steady, and she fell into a deep sleep.
A wisp of black mist slipped through the window.
Inside, the mist began to gather, slowly transforming into the figure of a man.
The man walked to her bedside, studying her sleeping form under the soft, yellow light of the bedside lamp. After a moment of internal struggle, he couldn’t bring himself to disturb her rest.
He sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching her.
Suddenly, Gu Jiu, who usually fell asleep immediately, turned over. Now facing the edge of the bed, she came within inches of touching him.
Lu Ji held his breath.
Several moments passed, yet she didn’t open her eyes. A faint sense of disappointment crept into his heart.
Originally, he had thought that if she woke up and found him there, he could use the moment to reveal his identity and maybe even confess his feelings. Surely, she wouldn’t be too frightened?
Lu Ji ended up sitting there the entire night, keeping watch over her as she slept.
—
The next morning, Gu Jiu stretched lazily as she got out of bed, a thoughtful expression on her face.
Last night, she seemed to sense Lu Ji’s presence beside her. It was just like in the game world, where she would stay by her side, allowing her to sleep peacefully without worrying about any monsters or ghosts attacking her.
But that wasn’t possible.
Lu Ji and she were from different worlds. Unless one day they became S-rank players, capable of breaking through the spatial barriers and entering the real worlds of other players, they could never physically meet. Right now, they lacked that ability, and it was impossible for her to enter her world.
Could it be that her reliance on Lu Ji had grown so deep that she even imagined her presence in the real world?
Gu Jiu propped her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
“Senior, are you awake? Let’s grab breakfast and go fishing afterward!”
A soft, sweet voice called out from outside, carrying a hint of coyness.
The boys who had come along to wake her shivered. To an outsider, it might sound like the girls were sweet-talking their boyfriends. In fact, if they did have boyfriends, they probably wouldn’t sound this sweet or delicate.
For a moment, the boys didn’t know whether to envy the girls for their charm or Gu Jiu for her popularity.
As Gu Jiu opened the door, two girls immediately flanked her on either side, clinging to her arms with affectionate familiarity and gazing up at her with sweet smiles.
Gu Jiu, in a good mood, patted their soft, delicate cheeks, finding them utterly adorable. “Good girls~”
The girls looked at her shyly, their faces turning rosy. The other girls, who hadn’t been patted, looked on with envy and jealousy, their gazes practically boring into the two lucky ones. They wished they could pry the two away and take their place.
They also wanted their senior to pat their cheeks and call them good girls.
Surrounded by the girls, Gu Jiu remained calm and composed. No one seemed to notice that she was actually indulging the girls more than she had the day before, engaging with them in a much more personal way.
But two people did notice.
Gu Mingli looked at his sister with suspicion, an uneasy feeling creeping over him.
Unlike others, he was well aware that his sister, as the eldest daughter of the Gu family, was highly selective. While her charm was undeniable, captivating both men and women alike, she had always kept a safe and measured distance from others, rarely allowing herself to get too close.
But today, her willingness to interact with the girls more intimately was unusual. What did it mean?
Outside, the man who had been watching from afar grew increasingly gloomy.
He hadn’t expected to witness such a scene so early in the morning. The things Gu Jiu used to do exclusively for him, she was now doing for these girls, treating them all equally.
Did this mean that in Gu Jiu’s heart, he wasn’t as special as he thought? Perhaps she had only indulged him because they were teammates?
—
After lunch, Gu Jiu declined the girls’ invitation to hike the mountain. Instead, she leisurely sat in a gazebo by the flower fields, enjoying the crisp autumn breeze and falling into deep thought.
It wasn’t the same after all.
The way those girls made her feel was different from how Lu Ji made her feel.
While she didn’t mind spoiling the girls occasionally, she didn’t feel the urge to unconditionally pamper them.
But with Lu Ji, it was different. She always wanted to spoil her, to indulge her. Seeing the rare smile on her face made her happy; she thought she was adorable. To her, the aloof and cold exterior others saw was simply the tender shyness of a sweet little angel.
She had heard that many people are inherently bisexual, capable of falling in love with either gender. Perhaps that was true.
Gu Jiu sat there for a long time, and for as long as she stayed, Lu Ji kept watch from a distance.
Even though they were separated by a distance, with Gu Jiu unable to see him, Lu Ji felt completely content just being nearby.
—
By evening, the group of young people finally returned to the city.
Once home, Gu Jiu exchanged a few words with her family before heading to her room to rest. She couldn’t wait to enter the Boundless City.
In the serene, blossom-filled alley of the Boundless City, she saw Lu Ji standing beneath a peach tree. Dressed in all black, her aura was dark and cold, untouched even by the vibrant pink petals fluttering around her. Yet, in her eyes, she was a pure and beautiful little angel.
“Ah Ji!”
She greeted her joyfully, walking over and draping an arm over her shoulder as she quietly observed her.
In the Boundless City, her eyesight was no longer impaired. With her glasses on, she could clearly see the subtle changes in Lu Ji’s expression.
Lu Ji was equally happy to see her and couldn’t help but move a little closer. “I thought you might come here, so I waited for you.”
What he didn’t tell her was that he had watched her return to her room, knowing she’d enter the Boundless City, and had deliberately waited for her here.
Gu Jiu smiled warmly and said, “Let’s go, let’s grab dinner. You haven’t eaten yet, right?”
“No, not yet.”
She took Lu Ji’s hand and led her out of the peach-blossom-filled alley toward a nearby restaurant.
The Boundless City was bustling with players. Many had already made it their long-term base, gradually weakening their ties to the real world.
After dinner, the two headed to the training grounds.
Ruan Yuan and her group were also at the training grounds. They had decided to follow Gu Jiu’s example, spending significant time there to train and improve their physical fitness and combat skills. It was a regimen that required immense willpower to maintain because it was tedious, exhausting, and even painful, making it easy to give up.
Although most players wanted to grow stronger, few were willing to spend all their time in the training grounds. They preferred to focus on earning points to buy life-saving items instead of enduring grueling training. For them, being “strong enough” was sufficient.
When Ruan Yuan saw Gu Jiu and Lu Ji arrive, she greeted them warmly. However, she couldn’t help but notice a subtle shift in their atmosphere. It seemed… different somehow. But when she tried to scrutinize it, she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
Beside her, Lu Haidi asked curiously, “Yuan Yuan, what are you looking at?”
“I’m watching them. Don’t you feel like the Miss’s attitude toward Lu Ji is a little different today?”
“Not at all!” Lu Haidi replied without hesitation.
Ruan Yuan rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, deciding she couldn’t rely on these oblivious men. She resolved to keep observing on her own.
—
During their downtime, Gu Jiu continued training at the training grounds. Afterward, she would find Lu Ji to eat together. The two were practically inseparable.
Days passed quickly, and it was soon time to enter the game world again.
That evening, Wan Xingzhou ran over to remind them. “Miss, don’t forget to wear the team rings I gave you!”
Gu Jiu gave him a light pat. “Don’t worry, I know.”
After dismissing Wan Xingzhou, Gu Jiu pulled Lu Ji along to a nearby item shop.
The item shops in the Boundless City mainly sold practical, everyday tools rather than rare or powerful items. Their inventory leaned more toward convenience and utility, suitable for life or specific scenarios.
For example, there were special nylon ropes designed to bind supernatural entities, self-heating iron pots that could be used in icy environments without an open flame, and simple weapons.
Gu Jiu started a shopping spree, purchasing anything she thought might come in handy.
By the time she finished, she had spent nearly a thousand points. The shopkeeper was grinning ear to ear; today’s commission was worth half a month’s usual earnings.
“Ah Ji, do you need anything?” she asked, turning to Lu Ji.
Lu Ji shook her head. “There’s nothing I need.”
“Alright then. Tonight, we’ll enter the game world together.”
—-
TL: After more than 100 chapters she finally recognized her feelings!!! 🥳 🎉 🍾 She thought she’s bisexual though. Anyway, a win is a win LMAO.